Centrifugal liquid-separator



(No MpdglJ 0.-A. BAO'K'STROM. GENTRIFUGAL LIQUID SEPARATOR.

' Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEO C. AXEL BAGKS'IROM, OF TEENTON, NE\V JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE BACK- STROM CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOE COMPANY, OF NE\V JERSEY.

CENTRIFUGAL LIQUID-SEPARA'TOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,778, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed September 27, 18F6. Serial No. 214.6531 (No modcL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O. AXEL BACKSTROM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Liquid- Separators; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others 1c skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to centrifugal machines, and more especially to the construction of the separating-chamber thcreofyand although the invention is herein described in connection with a use of the same for separating cream from milk, I do not limit the same to such a use thereof, as it is equally applicable for use in separating any liquid into its constituents having varied specific gravitics.

The principal object of my invention in this instance is to so construct the separating-vessel as to produce or permit of a continuous unobstructed circulation of the liquid therethrough in one direction during the act of separat'ing the same into its constituents.

Oertai n of the features of construction herein shown are not claimed, as they are disclosed in other applications now pending and bearing the following serial numbersviz.,193,725, 205,288, 209,035, and 213,866.

In one of the above-mentioned applications I have disclosed a construction in theseparating-chamber which acts to cause the liquid 5 passing therethrough to change the direction of its movement. In the present instance I secure the advantage of a subdivision of the liquid being operated upon into practically separate; portions, which are simultaneously 4o subjected to the operation of separation, and

at the same time I obtain a material advantage in securing a continuous flow, in ad dition to a division of the liquid into separate portions. The direction of the current or flow 4 5 of the liquid being separated, as it passes through the separating-chamber herein shown and described, is practically that of a coil, or as though the liquid was caused to pass through a spirally bent pipe the inner portions of which are bodily removed, so that said pipe or specific gravity is caused to flow with a steadily-increasing velocity through a pipe or other channel, which may or may not be vertical, then, owing to the physical law which governs moving bodies, such denser bodies will receive from the force which propels them a greater amount of energy, and the momentum of such a body will be greater than that of a'lighter body under the influence of the same propelling force. Then the consequence will be that the constituent which has the greatest specific gravity will have a tendency to separate from and leave behind that constituent which has the lesser specific gravity, and thus, should the conditions be proper, a complete separation would in the course of time actually take place, and it only remains to provide a way of escape for the separated constituents and means for their collection.

I consider the above sufficient to show and prove that the combined elements of time and velocity will produce a separation of the constituents by the act of gravity alone on the original liquid.

My present invention is operated in accordance with this theory, and though I employ centrifugal force it is only as a means whereby to suspend the liquid in the separating-chamher during the operation of separation.

Theoretically and practically a separatingchamber constructed according to my invention is a pipe or coil through which theliquid rapidly circulates, and though centrifugal force exists at all times it has but an extremely 5 slight, if any, effect as the direct cause of the separation of the constituent liquids from each other.

One of the principal advantages which I secure by the construction and use of a separat- I00 ingchamber which embodies the mode of operation or involves the principle which I have above set forth is that I avoid any undue agitation of the liquid or of its constituents after they are separated, and hence the cream produced is not in the slighest degree churned or broken in its fiber, or when once primarily separated again forced into a union with the remaining constituents of the liquid.

A more detailed description of the operation of my invention and of theadvantagcs secured thereby will be given in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, which are about two-thirds full size, Figure 1 is a vertical section (on the linen: of Fig. 2) of a portion of a separating chamber constructed in accordance with my invention and sufficient in extent to illustrate the same. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line Y of Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in both figures.

A represents the separatingchamber, (by which term I mean the rotary drum of a centrifugal machine,) which is provided with the depending central neck portion, A, and with a primary receiving-vessel, B, seated upon the hub A in which the spindle Oof the machine is secured. A screw or bolt, B, serves to removably retain the receiving-vessel upon the hub. In this instance the chamber is made of two parts screw-threaded together, as at A; but it is'apparent that it' may be cast in a single piece. The neck portion of the chamber is provided with an outlet, A", for a heavier constituent, and with an outlet, A foralighter constituent. This outlet in this instance consists of apipe, A, screw-threaded into an orifice, A, formed in and near the top of the wall of the neck.

The chamber is provided with a series of annular shelves, A A and extending from the upper inner surface of the chamber to the shelf A is a radial partition, D. Between the shelves A and A there is a partition, E, and between the shelf A and the bottom wall of the chamber there is a partition, F, and near the partition F is a partition, G, which extends from the bottom surface of the shelf A to the bottom of the chamber, and also extends within and down to the bottom of the neck of the chamber. This partition G is stopped short of the inner periphery of the chamber to form a port or passage, G.

The shelf A is provided with a deliveryport, H, beginning substantially at the partition D and extending along the outer edge of the shelf to a point near the next partition, E. The shelf A is also provided with a similar port, I, (see dotted lines, Fig. 2,) which bears the same relation as to location to the partition F.

A portion, J, of a bracket is shown in Fig. 1, which serves the purpose of supporting a faucet, K, through which milk is delivered into the primary receiving-chamber B. It is of course understood that suitable secondary receiving-chambers will be provided for the separated constituents of the liquid.

This being the construction, the operation is as follows: Milk,being supplied to the chamber B, is conducted by the pipe B to, upon, and around the shelf A, as shown by the fullline arrows 1, and passes through the deliv cry-port H of that shelf down to, upon, along, and around the shelf A, (the partition D preventing its farther travel on the shelf A as shown by the broken arrows 2, when it passes down the delivery-port I of the shelf A below said shelf to, upon, and along the inner surface of the bottom of the chamber, as shown by the dotted arrows 3, into and through the port G of the partition G, and finally between said partition and the partition F into the neck of the chamber and out of the discharge-port A" therefrom. It will be noticed that the milk flows continuously in one direction'while in the chamber, and by centrifugal force is suspended or held in that portion thereof which is outside of its neck. The supply of milk is regulated by the cock K, so that the normal position of the snbstantially-annular body of cream is about in a vertical line with or but slightly inside of the inner edges of the shelves and the wall of the neck of the drum. \Vhen the machine is operating, the supply of milk is regulated so that the inner wall of the sub stantially-annular body of cream at no time extends inside of the ends of the partitions F and G. The body of cream is not exactly air nular, as itis intercepted by the sides or edges of the vertical blades Fand G, which project into the neck, thus preventing the formation of a continuous annular body of cream and providing a separate passage between said blades for the milk to the dischargcport A". Now, the cream, being of lighter specific gravity, is left behind the milk and falls by gravity in an annular body down from the shelves and in proximity to the inner end of the discharge-pipe A, which may be located at any point except between the blades F and G, and passes out of the same into a suitable receiver, while the milk, following the contour of the bottom and neck of the chamber between the partitions F and G, which separate it from the body of the cream, passes down out of the discharge-port A. By removing the primary receiving-vessel B all of the passages of the separating chamber or bowl are accessible for cleaning purposes.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the relative arrangement of the partitions I), E, F, and Gis successive, and when considered with relation to the shelves they may be described as being arranged in steps. The partition above the shelf and that below the same are not only arranged in stcps,but they include the slot of the shelf, the one partition being at one end of the slot and the other at the opposite end.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim is- ICC 1. In a centrifugal machine, a separating vessel or drum having a series of annular shelves, each provided with a delivery-port arranged as described, and having aseries of partitions arranged in steps between succeeding shelves, substantially ass pecified, whereby a continuous circulation or travel of liquid is caused in one direction.

2. In a centrifugal machine, a separating chamber or drum provided with annular shelves, each having a single delivery-port arranged as described, and a series of partitions arranged successively in advance of each other, whereby liquid delivered upon the top shelf is caused to travel in one direction along the lower shelves of the series, substantially as specified.

i 3. In a centrifugal machine, and in the separating-chamber thereof, a series of annular shelves having each a single delivery-port,and a series of partitions arranged in steps, as described, the lower one of which is provided with a deliveryport or passage, substantially as specified.

4. In a centrifugal machine, a separating chamber provided with annular shelves having delivery-ports, partitions arranged beports as described, substantially as specified.-

7. A separating-chamber, A, provided with the annular shelf A the partitions F and G, and the ports I and G, arranged as described, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses. V

C. AXEL BAOKSTROM.

Witnesses:

B. F. MoRsELL, W. S. DUVALL. 

